


the careful act of caring

by chiikausa



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Discussions of Suicidal Thoughts, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Rei Sakuma is Bad at self-care, it doesn't go anywhere so I won't clog that tag, shumika pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:53:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27719152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chiikausa/pseuds/chiikausa
Summary: They're all so peaceful, and yet... none know of this anxious buzz that sits and persists in the air. There is no reason for me to be affected by it up here, but I feel it nonetheless. Something is wrong.What was wrong, it seemed, had made its way right to his doorstep.Shu blinked. "Rei?"It was equal parts shock, confusion, and uncertainty—the latter mostly because Shu was certain he'd never seen Rei in such an exhausted state before. His clothes looked like they had been recently soaked through, which explained the light shivers that persisted like a bumblebee's buzz. His hair was a frizzy, slightly tangled mess, and the bags under his eyes were so deep and dark it truly looked like he hadn't slept in days.-Shu gets a visitor who needs a little bit of help.
Relationships: Hakaze Kaoru/Sakuma Rei, Itsuki Shuu & Sakuma Rei
Comments: 16
Kudos: 67





	the careful act of caring

**Author's Note:**

> I started this mid-COVID shutdown, in a fit of madness, and I finished it...last night. I feel like I always write really fluffy romance pieces, so I wanted to do my take on the like, intimate friendship I imagine each of the Oddballs have with each other. Rei and Shu are my favorite characters in Enstars, so they're my hapless victims.
> 
> Enjoy!

"Paris is a beautiful city, Kagehira."

"Really? So you're happy there, Oshi-san?" Mika's tinny voice trickled through the line. "But not...too happy, are ya? Will ya still come back?"

Shu chuckled. "You know I have to, whether I want to or not. And how many times do I have to tell you? No more  _ oshi-san _ . It's…silly, when we're equals."

He heard Mika's breath catch and it took all Shu had to keep his heart from catching with it. "Y-ya really mean that? But I...I like havin' somethin' special ta call ya, you know? You're my Oshi-san, after all!"

"Well, Kagehira, you'll simply need to think of something else. Something  _ tasteful _ , mind you."

Mademoiselle piped up, despite not being invited to their private phone call. "Itsuki-kun just wants you to use his name, Mika-chan!"

A pause. "I... I'll think about it. A-anyway, ya never answered me! Are ya happy in Paris?"

Shu looked out the window to the harsh afternoon sun. Like this, Paris shimmered; the weather had just begun to clear up from torrential rain earlier that morning, and light dripped from every surface. Parisians were biking and walking, eating and shopping. It was a perfect afternoon to spend inside. His flat was simple – white walls and a light wooden floor, with plenty of windows to view the city and plenty of mannequins to house his crafts. Mademoiselle joined him after a few months, because all the sheer  _ silence _ had started eating away at him.

But, the friends who would be meeting with him at the studio later helped ease some of those homesick jitters.

He smiled. "I am. But I will be happier when Valkyrie is whole again." He glanced at his watch, frowning. "It's quite late over there. Shouldn't you be getting to bed?"

"O-oh! Yeah, you're right! Well, uh, I uh, I really miss ya, and I hope you and Madonee have a good rest of yer day! Um…"

"What is it, Kagehira?"

"Wha–? No, no, nothing!" Shu could practically hear Mika's arms waving around.

"Well, if that's all, then sleep well tonight." He paced to the window, pensively gripping at his elbow with his free hand. "I miss you."

"I...I really miss you, too."

"D-don't sound so dejected. I'll see you soon, alright? Good night, Kagehira."

"Yeah, of course. Goodnight, Oshi-sa–um...Sh-Shu."

Shu ended the call before anything foolish came out of his mouth. He continued to pace the apartment, shoving his phone back in his pocket. Despite the relative peace of Paris in its early afternoon glow, Shu couldn't get rid of the feeling that there was something amiss beneath it all. Absently, he scooped Mademoiselle up in his arms, wandering back to the window. Below, a couple was walking their pet, sharing what looked to be light-hearted conversation. Another pair walked arm-in-arm further down the road, eating crepes and smiling.

_ They're all so peaceful, and yet... none know of this anxious buzz that sits and persists in the air.  _ His brows pulled together contemplatively.  _ There is no reason for me to be affected by it up here, but I feel it nonetheless. Something is wrong. _

"Maybe you should go for a walk, Itsuki-kun! The air along the Seine always seems to clear your head," Mademoiselle chimed.

Shu hummed. "Perhaps that's not a terrible idea."

He readied himself to go, placing a delicate hat on Mademoiselle to protect her hair from the sun. But he never did make it out the door: when he swung it open to take his leave, a damp-looking figure with one hand poised to knock and the other holding a small sheet of paper stood in his way.

What was wrong, it seemed, had made its way right to his doorstep.

Shu blinked. "Rei?"

It was equal parts shock, confusion, and uncertainty—the latter mostly because Shu was certain he'd never seen Rei in such an exhausted state before. His clothes looked like they had been recently soaked through, which explained the light shivers that persisted like a bumblebee's buzz. His hair was a frizzy, slightly tangled mess, and the bags under his eyes were so deep and dark it truly looked like he hadn't slept in days.

Despite it all, infuriatingly, Rei smiled. "Hello, Shu. I was in the area and thought I'd drop in on an old friend. How are things with you?"

"How could you ask that, looking the way you do? And... _ in the area? _ Rei, this is  _ Paris _ . Or has your old mind gone so feeble that you've forgotten? You are nearly  _ ten thousand _ kilometers from home! There is no such act as being  _ in the area."  _ He huffed, hand rising to massage the bridge of his nose. He'd let his temper overtake him, a habit he'd been trying to curb, and now Rei looked a bit like a kicked puppy. "I'm sorry. Things are well, Rei. Very well. But they are clearly not so with you."

Rei's brows furrowed, and Shu wondered how he could have the gall to look confused. "I don't follow."

"Answer me one, simple question: why are you here?"

"I told you," he grinned, like he'd won. "I was checking in on you, since I had some spare time in the area."

Shu squinted, re-adjusting Mademoiselle on his arm. "Allow me to rephrase.  _ What did you do?" _

At this, Rei was beginning to look nervous. "What? What do you mean?"

Anger bubbled up and boiled over, and he jabbed a finger at Rei. "Do  _ not _ play dumb with me, Rei Sakuma! Trips abroad are not typical for any idol in Ensemble Square, and you know it. Yet, you show up to my flat looking like a drowned rat and expect me to believe you just stumbled onto a twelve hour flight and ended up in my area of the neighborhood? I am not that foolish to believe such a shoddily slapped together ruse, and  _ yo _ u are not stupid enough to do it. You arrived in France for a reason. Tell me why you're here."

Rei faltered, stalling by folding up the paper and placing it in his pocket. He didn't quite make eye contact when he muttered, "I was finalizing some research, and someone needed a bit of help."

"Who is someone?"

His silence spoke volumes. Shu seethed.

"We  _ talked _ about this." He sighed. "I don't like this habit of yours. It's bothersome and irritating, and it does  _ horrible  _ things for your beautiful skin. Come inside."

"I wouldn't want to impose, Shu. Besides, my flight is tonight. I might only have time for tea."

"Reschedule it. You're leaving tomorrow after some  _ honest  _ rest and a  _ bath." _

He stepped aside, expectant and impatient, but couldn't help the relieved smile that spread across his face when Rei accepted, pulling his phone out to adjust his travel plans accordingly.

It was going to take Shu all night just to rejuvenate Rei's  _ hair, _ let alone all the rest of him.

❧

As Shu worked his fingers through his hair, Rei allowed himself a brief moment of relaxation. He couldn't help but notice Shu's firm, precise movements were undercut by a gentleness that perfectly reflected the personality of the man himself.

"I can wash myself, you know."

"Clearly not. Your hair is months behind on proper care."

The bathroom was much like the rest of Shu's flat: organized, clean, and stylish. Though the sheer amount of hair care and skin products, including lush soaps and bath bombs and lotions, was staggering. 

"Does that Kagehira boy visit you often? You have quite the array of products available."

"It depends." Ah, so he would be getting Shu's curt answers. That could only mean he was laser-focused on the task at hand. Rei settled for leaving him to his work, trying to relish the free scalp massage without thinking too much about how clearly Shu had seen straight through him. Not that he put up much of a fight, but it was just that—it frightened Rei how easily he gave in to Shu's insistence.

Speaking of, Shu prodded him into a more upright position and began washing the rest of his body. Rei let him. He found when Shu was this focused, breaking him away from his focus on perfect, methodical work was hardly worth it. 

Especially not when he did such a wonderful job. It was almost fun, too, watching Shu's brow furrow as he decided between soaps to use. Something about the level of care he put into what seemed so simple as bathing made Rei feel warm (but maybe it was the bath water).

"What are you grinning like that for?" Shu snapped Rei out of his reverie, and he did his best to soften his expression.

"I'm only admiring your efforts, my friend."

"Well, you'll have to put in some work, too. Wash your face with this while I scrub your back."

"Alright."

After doing as he was told and rinsing his skin clean, Shu set to rinsing his hair and applying an expensive-looking conditioner. Then, he took Rei's face in his hands and examined him closely.

One thing Rei learned quickly about Shu Itsuki was that  _ closely _ always meant  _ inhumanly  _ so—at times, the concept of personal space would simply flee his mind, leaving him scrutinizing every pore on Rei's cheeks and forehead, seeking out irregularities and imperfections to smooth. Normally, it wouldn't bother him, but Rei knew how he must have looked.

" _ Mon dieu,  _ your skin. Rei, you simply must take better care of yourself," Shu muttered, soft for what Rei had come to expect from his temperament when this mood struck.

Rei opted not to respond. Shu sighed, pulling out a face mask from beneath the sink and tearing it open, smoothing it over Rei's face before tilting him back in the tub.

"Rest there. I'll be right back."

Once Shu left, Rei sank a bit deeper into the tub, admiring how luxurious it all felt. He expected perhaps a cup of tea and a firm scolding followed by a hastened shower and rushing out to catch a flight, not a full-blown spa experience. Then again, he should have known better than to expect anything less than perfection when it came to Shu.

_ It's almost nice, to be cared for like this. _ He felt his eyes slipping closed from all the soothing scents wafting around him. He blinked back into wakefulness, forcing himself to find a spot in the bathroom to focus on instead of giving in to exhaustion. Giving in meant dreaming, and dreaming meant night terrors looming close behind. They'd gotten quite bad, recently, and he knew they'd be worse after what he dealt with earlier that afternoon.

It felt like eons before Shu finally returned, holding something in his hands, and Rei was almost relieved to see him. He peeled the mask off Rei's face before tossing it in the wastebasket. He took a towel out from beneath the sink and placed it in a decorative rack near the tub, along with the fabric he was holding when he walked in.

The look Shu gave him was entirely more gentle than he deserved. It betrayed his stern tone. "Rinse your face again, towel off, change, and come to the kitchen. Understood?"

Rei smiled. "I think I can manage that much. Thank you, Shu."

Shu's face flushed pink as he left, and Rei followed his instructions, admiring the lush pair of silk pajamas he’d been left. They were a deep purple, with the letter “R” embroidered on the shirt pocket.  _ Custom? How did he…  _ Rei shook his head.

Making his way to Shu’s kitchen proved to be easy enough; the flat was small without feeling cramped, and unsurprisingly well-decorated. Rei had always admired Shu’s natural finesse with making a place feel like a home, though Shu himself might not have felt the same. He was the type to dismiss his skills as achieving the bare minimum. Always, Rei wished he could show him how a few well-placed succulents and delicate furniture could transform a flat.  _ Though if I tried to compare his place to the Sakuma family mansion, I’m sure he’d tut and proceed to have a field day with the decor. _

Settling into a stool, Shu presented him with a cup of steaming tea and sat in a stool of his own across the counter.

“It’s chamomile,” Shu said. “For sleep. Which you’ll be doing.”

“It’s the middle of the afternoon…?”

“ _ Yes,  _ it is, and once you’re done telling me what you’ve gotten yourself into, I’m putting you straight to bed.”

Rei sighed, staring into his cup. “That’s...quite a long story. I've burdened you enough just with this, haven't I?"

"I won't force the story out of you if you are truly too stubborn to share it," She huffed, sipping his tea. "But I will find it within myself to be patient and wait until you're ready to divulge."

Sipping his own tea, Rei sighed again, thinking. “Alumni students of one of Yumenosaki’s sister schools were having some trouble with their members. Call it what you will: scandal, stress… plain old backstabbing. I’m not sure how it got started, but groups were being disbanded, students were losing faith in themselves and their futures, and one of them…” He swallowed thickly. “I...They needed my help.  _ Investigating.  _ Such a cruel term, but they wanted to find a source. There was some messaging to sift through, some history to check, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t stomach. In the middle of it, I got a call from a theatre troupe touring overseas. I don’t—I don’t know how they heard of me, but they needed help setting up for a performance and some last-minute coaching since their director was late. It was quick enough, just a few sound tests and two tech rehearsals." She's scrutinizing stare was growing almost  _ scary,  _ so Rei stared into his tea, gripping the cup a bit harder. "I wanted to get here earlier, but I uncovered something important regarding the suicide at Yumenosaki's sister school. The school needed help toning down the panic that arose from it, and what I uncovered helped with that. I assisted with consoling the grieving party – the students, of course. I couldn't imagine such a thing...such a thing happening at home. I had to help."

"What about your research?" Shu asked, tone heavy and stern, though he cleared his throat. "Your cure. Did the researchers discover anything new?"

"What? Oh, no, I...um." He drank his tea to stall the question, though the unamused look on Shu's face told him he couldn't brush it off. "They haven't. It...looks grim, they say. The chances."

Shu laid a hand atop his. "I'm so sorry." He kept it there, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb. "You're overextending yourself. Two technical rehearsals for complete strangers and  _ grief counseling _ aren't your responsibility, whether you feel the desire to help or not. It's no wonder you look like a ghost."

"N-no, you're wrong, Shu, it was nothing. Just a detour, a small one. Nothing I can't handle."

"Once in a while, a detour is pleasant, or spurs unexpected growth. But all this, all at once? Please tell me you don't truly believe this is your life's meaning."

"Well, what else could I do?!" He gasped, surprised at his own tone. His voice shook. "There's no hope for a cure for...this  _ vampiric _ condition, so what else am I to do but help those I can, with what little time I have left? I-I...I won't sit and watch scandal and ruin come to these schools. That grief counseling prevented further incidents – Shu, I talked to students right at the precipice of something terrible. It was a matter of life and death, and they were so young, so, so young, and I—I—"

Shu came around the counter, pulling Rei into his arms. Rei's cup clattered back onto its saucer, and he wept, his heart and spirit finally shattered from the pressure of the day.

"Shhh,  _ ne pleure pas, ne pleure pas, _ it's alright. You did well, you're okay." Shu soothed. He massaged the back of Rei's neck. "This is what I'm trying to tell you, Rei. This is too much for you. You cannot shoulder the burdens of the world; you'll break. You need space to breathe." He pulled back, and Rei met his gaze miserably. Shu cupped his cheeks. " _ Mon dieu, _ you must be exhausted."

He nodded numbly.

"Come, then, let's get you to bed so you can sleep."

Unsurprisingly, Shu's bed was luxurious. The sheets were smooth as silk, and he had a special weighted blanket that he draped over Rei's body. "It's the most civil thing I can do that might keep you from running off," he chastised, though with less severity than earlier. With pillows fluffed and Rei suitably buried and tucked under the cozy warmth of the blankets, Shu gently stroked Rei's hair, the affection almost dizzying.

"Sleep as long as you have to. I have to meet some friends, but I should be back by the time you wake. Okay?"

"Alright."

"Do not leave this bed until I return." Ah, there was the sternness he expected.

Rei laughed. "I won't."

After Shu locked the door, Rei turned and plucked his phone off the end table. If he was going to be in Paris an extra day, there was one person he had to tell before falling asleep (which he nearly did while typing—Shu had damn soft blankets).

**Rei:** Kaoru, I'll be in Paris for another day.

**Kaoru:** ?? did something happen?

**Kaoru:** did you get results??? are they doing vampire tests on you?

**Rei:** Nothing so dangerous. I simply needed a little extra rest. I am feeling my advanced age, you could say.

**Kaoru:** yeah, yeah. im just glad to know youre taking a breather.

**Kaoru:** rest well, rei-kun. let me know if you need me to do anything for you before you come back.

**Kaoru:** be safe.

**Kaoru:** ❤️

Rei smiled warmly at his phone.  _ Ah, it’s so cute how dependable he's become.  _ He placed his phone gently back on the end table, letting the warmth from Kaoru's messages fill his heart, while the warmth from the blankets kept him safe.

He drifted off before he knew it, into a dreamless, heavy sleep.

❧

Shu cut his afternoon short, working half the time in the studio compared to normal. He used errands as his excuse for his friends (odd that he had them at all,  _ friends,  _ he never thought that he’d make any all the way out here, halfway across the world), so they’d let him leave without complaint. He picked up a few extra groceries on the way home—Rei wouldn’t be with him long, but he could at least make him a nice dinner before his flight tomorrow.

Groceries in one arm, a bag of fresh pastries in another, he walked the familiar streets back to his flat. It was a gorgeous day, now that the rain had long since blown over. The thought of the rainfall earlier this morning brought Shu’s mind back to Rei again. He hoped he was sleeping. Moreover, though, Shu wondered if he’d had enough time to immerse himself in the beauty Paris had to offer.

_ I doubt it,  _ Shu thought, a deep frown settling on his brow.  _ He probably made himself too busy to have a moment to breathe and appreciate the finer things that come with traveling abroad. _

Though, even for Shu, the beauty had faded into the mundane—but it had done so elegantly, naturally, in a way that left Shu both nostalgic for his first nights immersed in wonder and appreciative of the intimate familiarity he had walking the streets now. Quietly, he smiled to himself.  _ Perhaps I've even allowed the city itself to be a friend to me. _

The sun hung low in the sky, marking everything with golden streaks by the time Shu had re-entered his apartment. It was quiet, but Shu wasn't worried—for all Rei  _ was,  _ he wasn't rude. He knew better than to leave without so much as a goodbye.

Still, Shu couldn't help the relief that swept through his chest when he found Rei fast asleep beneath the covers, right as he'd left him. Like this, he looked so frail, so tired, so  _ vulnerable; _ Shu wondered how he managed to tuck it all away whenever he was awake. At least Shu could tell that all his efforts earlier made an impact—first in that Rei was asleep at all, but second (and more importantly) that the circles beneath his eyes weren’t nearly as dark.

Before he knew it, he found himself gently brushing Rei’s bangs out of his eyes, gently caressing his thumb across his cheek. He pressed a soft kiss to Rei’s forehead, heading back to the kitchen to start preparing dinner. It was simple—a bit of bread, a bit of fish, and assorted seasonal vegetables—but it was still a world of a difference compared to what he used to eat when he was in Japan. As such, he was sure Rei would appreciate the change of pace.

As he cooked, he wondered: how well  _ was  _ Rei eating? Sure, that Hakaze boy was with him now, and he seemed… Well. He didn’t exactly seem  _ incapable,  _ last Shu had seen of him, but he wasn’t sure he was capable of the intimate level of care that Rei so clearly needed.  _ But…they are unitmates. And it has been over a year since I saw them last. If I can change this much, clearly Hakaze is capable of the same.  _ The smell of the fish searing in the pan refocused his attention on cooking. Time passed quickly, from there. If he was being honest with himself—a habit he tried to commit to, these days—he enjoyed cooking for himself and someone else, for a change.

Predictably, Rei ambled out from the bedroom, sleepily half-wrapped in a blanket he must’ve found at the foot of the bed. He rubbed at his eyes, sitting at the counter where he’d been previously. “You’re in your element here, Shu. You’re practically glowing.”

“Is that so?” He smiled; of course, he knew it  _ was  _ so, but it that made it no less nice to hear it from Rei’s mouth. “Did you sleep well?”

“Like the dead,” Rei sighed, dreamily, leaning forward and allowing the blanket to fall back over the chair. “Your bed is  _ so  _ soft. I almost wish I was staying for a week.”

“You could.” Shu slid a plate in front of him, forcing him to sit up properly. “I’m not busy.”

“Shu,” Rei started, frowning between the plate and the man who served it to him, as though unsure which point to argue. “You  _ know  _ I can’t stay.”

“Well, you can at least eat.”

“You didn’t have to—”

_ “Nonsense.  _ Eat, please. You haven’t been, have you?” Rei’s sheepish silence spoke volumes. Setting his own plate aside, he leaned over the counter to capture Rei’s face in both of his hands, forcing their eyes to meet.  _ “Rei. _ Rei, you must take better care of yourself,  _ mon dieu,  _ you’ll wither away. Do you understand? Please. Do it for  _ yourself.  _ Who will you be able to look after if you give yourself away?”

Shu watched Rei blink away the wetness that was rapidly building up in his eyes. “Shu…”

_ Ah.  _ Shu knew that posture. He released Rei to walk around the counter and pull him into a hug, combing his fingers gently through his hair. “Shh, shh. It’s alright. I’m not angry with you.”

“I know…I’m sorry,” His voice broke, and he cleared his throat. “Thank you for doing this for me. I came to check in on you, yet it was me who cried twice in your arms.”

“And as many more times you need, I’ll comfort you,” Shu said, massaging lightly at the nape of Rei’s neck. “Though that’ll only be until you’re on your way back home. Then you’re in Hakaze’s hands, however capable they may be.”

That, at least, got a small chuckle out of Rei. “Plenty so, Shu. Not as  _ thorough  _ as you, mind, but plenty capable nonetheless.”

Shu could feel Rei smiling against him. “Are your feelings out in the open, then?” When Rei nodded, Shu smiled. “And he didn’t collapse in agony at the thought of being with you. How wonderful that your worst fears didn’t come to pass." He chided, smirking. "Now, let’s eat. We can talk more over tea after.”

❧

After the hot meal and warm tea, Rei could hardly believe he felt so ready for bed  _ again.  _ His rescheduled flight was for tomorrow night, so he didn't need to be in the airport until early afternoon—typically, that meant he'd devote every waking hour working. That is, until the quietest, darkest moments of the night pulled him into fitful slumber. This time, however, he was nestled back under the covers of Shu's bed next to Shu himself, who sat upright, reading quietly. Rei watched him, marveling at how  _ much _ leaving Yumenosaki had done for him. He was renewed (dare he even say reborn) in this state. As he was, Rei could hardly imagine receiving the level of delicate, truly thoughtful care that Shu gave him.

Without looking up, Shu said, "What are you staring so longingly at me for?"

Rei smiled sleepily. "I was just thinking about how much you seem to have healed, coming abroad like this."

"That academy is a toxic circus," Shu sneered, gently bookmarking and setting his book on the bedside table. "I'd be happy to be rid of it forever, but I must return. I cannot leave Kagehira there to fend on his own."

Rei hummed. "Are  _ your  _ feelings...how did you out it?  _ Out in the open?" _

The broken splutter Shu gave him in response told him all he needed to know, but the way his cheeks flushed a deep red was icing on the cake. "A-as if I'd had a single appropriate moment for such a display. You...you should know better than to ask such a thing. I have a  _ plan,  _ and though I may want, I cannot simply carry it out while I'm  _ not with him." _

Laughing into the pillow, Rei draped his hand over Shu's arm. "You sound more nervous than I was. I'm sure you'll be fine. He loves you very much."

Shu simply scoffed at him. "Don't get all omniscient on me now, Rei. Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I could ask you the same."

Shuffling down into the covers, Shu turned off the lamp light. "Better?"

"Much. Sweet dreams," Rei said, closing his eyes. "And...thank you. Again."

"Think nothing of it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

_ And that makes you an irreplaceable friend,  _ Rei thought, his consciousness slipping into the shadows and gently pulling him with it.  _ I don't know what I'd have done without you. _

-:-

Rei rubbed at his eyes, tugging his suitcase behind him through the airport. He’d made it through customs without any incident, which was a relief as much as it was disappointing (since, after all, he’d hoped to bring some medicine back home with him). Slowly, he made his way through the crowd toward the exit.  _ One more train ride, and I’ll be home.  _ He thought he might sleep—to reschedule his flight meant an unpleasant, long stopover, meaning he was landing in Japan at an ungodly hour at night. While he was  _ usually _ more energized by the night’s darkest hours, currently he just felt slimy and exhausted from travel.

_ I could really use a bath.  _ The thought made him miss Shu’s luxurious little tub in his corner of Paris. Maybe he  _ should  _ have taken Shu’s offer on staying for longer.

Suddenly, a voice called out to him, pulling him from his thoughts back to reality. “Rei-kun! Over here!”

It was Kaoru, waving at him and smiling, as bright and energetic as though it were midday. A warm smile spread across Rei’s face immediately, and he couldn’t help but practically run to collapse into Kaoru’s warm, welcoming arms. He buried his face into Kaoru’s neck, enjoying the way he  _ always  _ smelled like a clean ocean breeze.

Kaoru’s hands worked their way awkwardly around his middle. “I thought you might appreciate the surprise.”

“More than you know,” Rei practically whined. “I was so  _ lonely  _ on those flights without you, Kaoru-kun. I missed you.”

He felt Kaoru press a soft kiss to his temple. “I missed you too,” he whispered. “You smell like travel, though. Let’s go home and get you a bath, yeah?”

Rei smirked, pressing a kiss to the nape of Kaoru’s neck. “You read my mind, sweetheart. Let’s go.”

Walking hand in hand with Kaoru had him feeling lighter already. He napped on the train stress-free and allowed Kaoru to tug him into the bath, hardly exchanging any words about his trip. When they nestled beneath the covers together to sleep, Kaoru kissed his forehead and whispered to him, sharing sweet tidbits about his time alone or about his day, talking to fill the space because Rei so loved (and so missed) the sound of his voice.

Sleep found them both before he knew it, and as he drifted, he allowed his mind to wander to the careful act of caring and being cared for: in all its delicacy, yet so divine that it could melt hours of stress away in minutes.  _ I ought to do something for them in return, one day… though perhaps it’s best to simply enjoy it while I can.  _ Though, Rei supposed, he wouldn’t mind having the chance to get used to it.

Gently squeezing Kaoru’s hand, he felt like that chance might be closer than he thought.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you've got the time, drop me a kudos or comment. And if you feel so inclined, you can also follow me on Twitter!


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